Host Mario Dumont finds it hard to believe the decision of the Commission for the Protection of Agricultural Land of Quebec which refuses to allow Mario Pelchat to give shows on his vineyard this summer.
• Read also: Mario Pelchat must cancel the 45 concerts he had planned to give at his vineyard this summer
During his commentary on the show Quebec MorningMr. Dumont presents a photo of the room in question.
“The case in the case of Mario Pelchat […] is that the performance hall is a dining room with tables, people can eat, but there is a stage at the end,” he says.
“People can eat, but don’t sing! Do not sing! No, sir, if you sing, it becomes illegal! It forces the government to get involved. It’s absurd, rare,” he adds.
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According to him, the Commission is focusing on a case which does not pose a problem at all.
“If Mario Pelchat made a request for eight hectares of his land to be withdrawn from agricultural activity because he wants to build a performance hall the size of Place-des-Arts, then I would say OK, the commission puts a brake is correct,” he says.
Mario Dumont believes that it is logical for a vineyard to want to attract people by combining agricultural activities with other areas.
“You always have to think that one of the challenges of a vineyard is to bring people in,” he explains. Most are in rural ranges and roads that have few passers-by. It’s not illogical for a vineyard owner to say he’s going to do a tour and a show.”
“It seems perfectly logical to me, in no way contrary to the spirit of agricultural activity at the level of agrotourism,” he continues. We must talk about zeal [de la part de la Commission].”
The arguments put forward by the Commission for the Protection of Agricultural Land are far from impressing the host.
“The Commission’s explanation is sincerely crazy,” he maintains. She says she doesn’t have many inspectors so she just goes there by complaint. It is said that in the case of Mario Pelchat, someone filed a complaint and that is why we took action. But others we tolerate because no one has filed a complaint. As justice with the application of the law, we will come back.”
“For me, it’s a sad story,” he added. People who decide to invest in any field, the idea of having an SME, a restaurant, an inn, do you realize the trouble you are giving yourself? Have you thought about work? To take risks?
The presenter at LCN thinks that the government should do better in terms of the help it offers to SMEs to develop.
“When we elected the CAQ […]there was the nationalist side, but a big part was that we had never had so many people coming from the business world,” says Mr. Dumont.
“I’m not saying that what happens to Mario Pelchat is the fault of the CAQ […]but it’s still been six years since a party has been in power with technically this mission and this philosophy of helping small businesses […] and absurdities like this still happen,” he adds.
See Mario Dumont’s full commentary in the video above
